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hey shanley, welcome to powder… it’s a pleasure to be speaking with you.

you developed and manage a social enterprise, the nakate project, working with women from rural uganda. could you explain to us what the nakate project is and how it functions?

Nakate is an accessories brand celebrating the lives and work of Ugandan artisans through design. We hire Ugandan creative professionals to help us collaborate with Ugandan artisans to produce handmade jewellery with a high fashion aesthetic.

how would you say the work empowers the female artisans involved both locally and globally?

I believe our work equally empowers myself and the women who work with me. Together, we are building a social enterprise that celebrates our diverse experiences of Africa through wearable designs.

the nakate project distributes sustainable fashion items from the developing world to the market of the global north. how do you ensure the enterprise runs ethically? what are the principles that guide it?

We have a Ugandan manager on the group who works closely with our artisans to ensure that they are happy and their voices are heard throughout every decision and part of production. She also ensures that we honor their cultural customs and their unique needs. Beyond that, they are paid 100% for our orders before they are shipped out of Uganda.

what are the actual artisan items you distribute from uganda and what are your favourite pieces?

Right now we are working with cow horn and paper bead designs but we also did a test run of leather sandals and bags in 2012. I love our natural cow horn bangles the most out of everything. I wear them all the time. I also love the songs, I like to double up the Nyota for a super statement piece and I loved our test sandal line. They were my absolute favorite summer shoes.

what is your connection to uganda? how did you come to set up your social enterprise there? and what was the catalyst for the project?

I’ve traveled back and forth to Uganda several times working to manage media and social media for nonprofits, and decided to put my experiences and stories into the creation of a line of accessories so other people could come to know and love Uganda as the beautiful, life changing place that I do.

prior to the nakate project you were involved in volunteer development projects. could you tell us a little about the journey you’ve made?

I started out in Haiti volunteering at an orphanage, and then did the same in Uganda. My background is in journalism and I did media work in both places. After that, I spent an extended amount of time in rural Uganda reporting back to a nonprofit board on their progress there, which was when I really fell in love with the country and culture and knew I wanted to partner with the people I had met in a much more personal way.

looking at uganda or sub-saharan africa as a whole, what do you see as the major issues facing this rapidly developing region of the world?

I see technology and communications through mobile phones expanding and I think it is and will continue to change SSA and Uganda in particular. I see women speaking up and changing the professional world, and I see the diaspora investing in different/bigger ways than ever before.

and what do you see as the next steps for the nakate project in the coming future?

I'm excited about some new designs we have coming up. I think you'll see exponential growth in our company in the next few years.

thank you (weebale) for speaking to us here at powder shanley… we find your work inspiring and wish you and the nakate project all the best for the future.

check out the nakate project site

nakate project facebook

shanley’s blog voye’m

images:

image one by antonio esteban

image two by sheila west